Just a dream
by LadyLionheart
Summary: A moment in Stone Hopper's life inspired by Just a Dream by Carrie underwood. Stone/OC


_A/N: Italics are memories,_ regular is the present.

_Melissa smiled as she leaned back against the swing back, glancing over at the man sitting next to her, shifting to snuggle into his side. "I'm nervous about tomorrow."_

_Stone smiled slightly as he looked down at the woman curled up into his side, pressing a kiss to her dark hair as he looked out at the dark waters of the pacific. "Why?"_

_"Because you're going out there without me. "Melissa said turning her head to look up at the blond, shifting to take his hand in hers, resting it on her stomach. Even if it wasn't obvious yet, there was a small bulge there._

_"I wouldn't want you out there anyways. Besides, you have wedding plans to finish. "Stone smirked glad that he had a legitimate excuse to be skipping out on those last minute wedding things that he knew were going to be a hassle. Looking down at his pregnant fiancée he shifted his hold on her, pulling her closer, despite knowing he'd miss her, he didn't want her out there during the war games._

Melissa was quiet as she let Sam fix her hair, neither woman needing to say what the feeling in the air was. Glancing up at Sam as the blond came around in front of her she shook her head. "Don't bother with makeup, I'll just be crying it off. "She muttered glancing towards the window, vaguely amused that the church they'd chosen was within sight of the ocean, even on dry land, Stone couldn't stand to be far away.

"Are you sure? "Sam looked down at the woman, holding the brush in her hand before stepping back to set it down on the sink.

"I am."

_"Are you ready for the wedding? "Sam laughed as she walked with the woman into the restaurant, her almost sister in law was the perfect match for the oh-so-serious Stone. Even if she knew Stone could be fun, could relax, he was more given to seriousness and Melissa's mix of teasing and seriousness was perfect to offset her soon to be husband._

_"Mostly. I just have to go pick up my dress. "Melissa said smiling as she sat down starting to nibble on her food. "What about you? Hopper's done a number on your own wedding plans."_

_Sam shook her head a little looking serious before sighing." I know…this is the one time, Stone won't be able to bail his ass out."_

_Melissa studied her before wincing a little as she realized she shouldn't have brought it up before tilting her head, deciding to change the subject. "How's work going?"_

_"Oh, not so bad. I get a new patient today, and it's going to be interesting."_

"You don't have to do this alone. "Sam said as she slipped a arm through Melissa's, stepping out into the sunlight, blinking quickly even as she put on a pair of sunglasses.

"Yes, yes I do. "Melissa swallowed hard as she slid on a pair of slim glasses, her heart aching as she thought about it, remembering Stone putting them on the dress to pack, and never picking them up. Tensing a little as she looked around her, she quickly dried her eyes before heading towards where everyone was waiting, smiling up at Hopper as he slipped a arm through hers.

"There's such a thing as being too strong, and he'd hate that I let you do this alone. "Hopper muttered in answer to her questioning look.

Both flinching as they heard the 21 gun salute going off in the silence of the graveyard.

_Melissa was waiting for them when they arrived. She'd known they would be coming. There was never any doubt. After all, she knew Stone the best of any of them. Had known even before the news had announced it. _

_Opening the door she looked startled for a moment as she realized who they'd chosen to deliver the news. Staring at Hopper and Admiral Shane she swallowed hard as tears filled her eyes, because here were the two men who knew Stone best in the world, she guessed it shouldn't surprise her that much._

_"Melissa…"Hopper started before trailing off, holding out the letter he knew she suspected they'd brought, and every military wife knew what it was when you had a Admiral showing up on your doorstep._

_Melissa's fingers closed around the letter, but didn't bother to read it, starting to laugh. Not like she was enjoying it, but that high hysterical laughter of a woman pushed too far. "Well, it's a good thing we already have the church isn't it? "She muttered around her giggles, clinging to Hopper as he wrapped his arms around her._

_Melissa sobbed around her laughter, even as her thoughts turned to Stone. "When you said you bought us a house with a widow's walk, I never considered I'd be a widow before a wife. "She thought to herself the laughter drying up as she choked on her sobs._

Hopper shifted his hold on the woman at his side, pressing a kiss to her hair, holding her because he didn't trust her legs to hold her up. Standing strong for them both, he shifted his hold as she spoke. Letting her do this one last thing for her almost husband, because she needed to say goodbye in her own way.

"Stone loved the sea, for the moment he'd first stepped foot in it, to the moment he died on it, he loved the sea. Said it was like a person, because you never knew when it was going to turn against you, or give you the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. "Swallowing hard she shuddered, tears filling her eyes. "He said the most beautiful thing it'd ever brought him was me. There are so many things you could say about Stone. How we've all wanted to wrack him outside the head for protecting Hopper,"A small smile quirked her lips as she glanced at her brother in law, relaxing slightly at the sad smile on his face, "Or his respect for Admiral Shane, or the calm sense of command he gave to his men…"She swallowed again.

"He never forgot the most important part of being a leader. That the day his men stopped bringing him their problems, is the day he failed to lead them. That if it ever happened, that they'd lost confidence that he could help them, or concluded that he didn't care. Either, he saw as a failure, and he strove to never fail anyone."

Melissa looked around the crowd, looking at the others who were mourning the man they'd all respected and loved, not because he was a navy commander, but because he was still an ordinary man, who just happened to be a military commander. Bowing her head she said the only words that made sense to finish off a eulogy, for it was how any navy man would have made a toast, would have been as recognizable as the marine's _Sempra fi_

"May fair winds and following seas find you always."

A/N:The quote about leadership comes from Colin Powell.


End file.
